Goodbye Ahalkalakets, hello Batman!
On Monday, top-ranked UFC Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan revealed to Ariel Helwani that he’s officially changing his nickname to “Batman.” For years, Tsarukyan’s official nickname “Ahalkalakets,” a reference to his hometown, but fans have pushed for the change. Tsarukyan has been repeatedly called the Armenian Bruce Wayne/Armenian Batman online, a reference to his combination of immense wealth and elite fighting skills.
Who’s gonna tell Arman? 😅💀
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 17, 2026
Arman Tsarukyan is officially BATMAN! @ArmanUfc 🦇 pic.twitter.com/VVm3Z7zHtP
What Arman loses in alliteration, he more than makes up for in marketability. I’ve been writing about Tsarukyan since his 2019 UFC debut, and not once have I been managed to spell “Ahalkalakets” without copious use of the copy/paste input! Fight fans aren’t always accepting of new nicknames (ask Ilia Topuria), but this one oughta stick.
Fortunately, Tsarukyan’s endless side questing has indeed come to a momentary conclusion. Currently riding a five-fight win streak over the likes of Charles Oliveira and Dan Hooker, Tsarukyan will return to action at UFC 331 next month in a five-round fight versus knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy. If victorious, Tsarukyan should be expected to finally secure a title shot, although the jury is out on when champion Justin Gaethje will return to action.